METAL thieves have struck at three churches in north Warwickshire, taking precious religious artefacts.

The thieves smashed their way through windows and forced open doors to steal the brass candlesticks, altar crosses and jugs.

At St Cuthbert's Church, in Shawbury Lane, Shustoke, the thieves used wooden posts to smash a window, taking candlesticks, an altar cross and a large jug.

And a cross and vases were taken from both St John the Baptist Church in Church Lane, Lea Marston, and St Leonard's Church, Nuneaton Road, Over Whitacre, where the thieves forced their way through the front doors.

All three incidents were reported to Warwickshire Police on Tuesday morning and are believed to have taken place the previous night.

A police spokesman said: "There are obvious similarities between the three incidents and we would like to hear from anyone who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously, or vehicles parked near any of the three churches.

"The items which have been stolen are quite distinctive and we would also like to hear from anyone who is aware of these items being offered for sale."

The thefts come just days after the Telegraph reported how police said Nuneaton and north Warwickshire were being plagued by thieves taking increasingly daring risks to get their hands on the metal for its scrap value.

Thieves stripped lead from the roof of Polesworth Abbey and from St Chad's Parish Church in Wishaw, near Atherstone.

Offenders have also targeted businesses and quarries, and put lives at risk by stealing live railway signalling equipment in Nuneaton.